Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is of high interest for the produce industry because it can drive produce safety enhancements. In order to assist the fresh produce industry in root cause analysis decision making and implementation, Western Growers, in collaboration with other leading produce industry associations, developed and published two RCA industry guidance documents.

The first guidance document, “When to do Root Cause Analysis? A Decision-Making Guide for the Produce Industry,” discusses when to conduct an RCA during growing, harvest and post-harvest operations, considering company-specific resources and risks. To view the document, click here.

The second guidance document, “Conducting Root Cause Analysis: A “How-To” Guide for the Produce Industry,” provides a step-by-step guide on how to conduct an RCA. This in-depth document assists producers in determining the underlying reason or reasons that caused an unexpected event or incident and enacting steps to prevent it from happening again. Click here to access the document.

RCA is vital in advancing produce safety and mitigating risk factors and contamination events. An industry webinar will be hosted on August 26, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST to provide an overview of these guidance documents. Save the date! Registration will go live within the next few days. 

For questions, contact Western Growers Science at [email protected].